1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shelves for vehicles and more specifically it relates to a shelving system for allowing viewing of the contents of both the upper shelves and the lower shelves within a truck.
Individuals and salespeople often times utilize trucks with a plurality of shelves attached to the side walls of the interior of the truck. The shelves store a plurality to items for the individual and allow the individual to store and retrieve items during their business day. It is desirable to have shelves stacked along the entire portion of the interior wall of the truck. However, it is very difficult for the user to view the contents of the upper shelves because they can not see onto the upper portion of the upper shelves. Also, it is very difficult for the user to view the contents of the lower shelves because the shelves above the lower shelves block the user's view of the contents of the lower shelves. Hence, there is a need for a shelve system that allows viewing of both the upper and lower shelves.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shelve systems have been in use for years. Typically, shelving systems for trucks are comprised of a plurality of shelves that are attached to the interior walls of the truck with the shelves parallel to one another and aligned upon a horizontal plane.
As stated previously, it is difficult to view the contents of the upper shelves and the lower shelves which makes it difficult to utilize all of the shelves. Because it is difficult for individuals to efficiently utilize the upper shelves and the lower shelves, they often times simply do not place items within them. In extreme situations, items placed within the upper shelves or lower shelves remain there for extended periods of time because the individual is unable to locate them.
Examples of attempted shelving systems for vehicles include U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,377 to Hughes; U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,957 to Shoen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,222 to Yano et al.; U.S. Patent to which are all illustrative of such prior art.
Hughes (U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,377) discloses a vehicle storage system. Hughes teaches a plurality of storage compartments attached to a wall member wherein the all member is slidably from within the vehicle for allowing viewing of the contents of the shelves outside of the vehicle.
Shoen et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,957) discloses a moving vehicle equipped with vending machine. Shoen et al specifically teaches a vending device that is affixed to the interior of the moving vehicle and includes a sealing device affixed to the vending device for sealing the enclosed volume of the vending device.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for allowing viewing of the contents of both the upper shelves and the lower shelves within a truck. Conventional shelving systems for vehicles do not provide adequate viewing of the contents of the upper shelves and the lower shelves.
In these respects, the shelving system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing viewing of the contents of both the upper shelves and the lower shelves within a truck.